The Pacific Northwest salmon is a source of pride, featured here smoked and packaged into shrink-wrap portions. At the Fred Meyer supermarket seafood counter local salmon commands the highest prices, far higher than the best cuts of beef available.

Carmella and I love RGE RD; I dare-say it’s among the top few haute cuisine restaurants in Edmonton. I’m thrilled to return, the chef’s meal has always been an impressive delight, with culinary surprises along the way. It’s pricey, and one can’t depend on certain satisfaction (as one can with, for example, their “Nature’s Green Acres Pig Roast”, consisting of free-range heritage pork, roasted loin & belly, bacon-wrapped pork confit, squash gnocchi, parsnips, and apple compote). Still, we decide to take the culinary gamble.

First up are scallops, done perfectly, with mushrooms and other trimmings, in a cheddar broth. The infused taste is delightful, and a great way to begin the meal.

“new photo by”

Our next course was a deconstructed lasagna, with a ragu that explodes on the tongue, the perfect counterpoint to the Parmigiano Reggiano. Carmella isn’t impressed by what to her appears as a messy, dorm room style lasagna (which it does) but the flavors are exquisite.

The wheels come off the cart when we’re brought the penultimate course, something about “compressed meat in a reduction”. I look at the meatloaf. I look at Carmella. She looks at the meatloaf. She looks at me. I’m unsure how to proceed. On the one hand, RGE RD hasn’t heretofore let us down. I like the chef and presume this is a great execution on a good idea. I venture a taste, slicing my fork through the meatloaf, drag it through the sauce, and pop it into my mouth. I look at Carmella. She tries the meatloaf. It’s meatloaf. High-end meatloaf, to be sure, but it’s still fancified meatloaf that doesn’t deserve to be on the top-tier, high-priced chef’s tasting menu.

To all appearances, it looks like the chef had to go home, sick, and someone very junior got a chance to try something new. I hope I’m not being unkind, but meatloaf is meatloaf.

We’re gobsmacked. Immediately we call over our most excellent waiter and inform him that we need the pig roast, STAT! There’s no way this meatloaf is going to (1) fill or (2) satisfy us.

The pig arrives — although for some strange reason I don’t have a picture of it — and Carmella and I fall on it, absolutely loving the variety of meats and the superb preparation. I promise to get a photo next time.

Then our flight of courses continues to its end, dessert. This was an absolutely smashing meringue on a custard with a berry coulis. Tangy, sweet, with great mouth feel. Dessert isn’t really my course, and I would have happily had two or three of these.

We finished up with more of RGE RD’s excellent coffee, which I’d been enjoying all night, and headed out into the night (which up at this latitude is much lighter than the darkness now in Portland or San Francisco). A smattering of rain begins to fall, and the combination of the rain and the rays of the setting sun present to us something never before seen nor heard of: A PINK RAINBOW!

For second lunch the next day, on my way to the airport, Carmella suggests that we return to Dorinku, another of my favorites in Edmonton. We head out towards Whyte Avenue on the railroad tracks used by the trolley (which wasn’t yet running, so you don’t get a photo; sorry).

It’s carbs day :-) The most beloved Dorinku udon carbonara comes out, bubbling in its cauldron of yumminess. By conventional wisdom, this dish should be a complete failure: the udon are massive compared to the traditional spaghetti, and the sauce of eggs and cheese should never be boiling, but it spectacularly works. It’s delightful all around!

We also venture into new territory, the beef short rib set (with a sweet balsamic glaze}. The miso is satisfying, the rice is tasty, and the meat just falls off the bone and into our mouths. Another win.

Carmella loves herself any dose of mango, and Snowy Dessert’s ice cream covered with a thick layer of mango is so delightful that it’s sold out early every day. You can’t imagine how hard it was getting this picture, with those fingers darting ever closer to the dessert. (The small bowl has some sample cheesecake & crumbs, courtesy of the counter staff.) Everything was delicious.

Past security and US customs is a bit of America at YEG. Sadly, not only is the coffee sold by Starbucks, it’s perhaps the worst Starbucks I’ve encountered. I’d much prefer if they made it a “Best of Canada” pavilion of tastes…